Hospitality group Merivale is under investigation by SafeWork and the NSW Office of Liquor & Gaming.
Merivale operates over 90 “brands and venues” primarily based in Sydney, including Coogee Pavilion and Totti’s.
Following an investigation by the ABC, the two NSW bodies are looking into allegations that Merivale allowed workplace drug use and inadequately addressed claims of sexual assault.
It comes two weeks after SafeWork launched an investigation into another Sydney-based hospitality group, Swillhouse, over similar allegations raised in Nine Newspapers.
Merivale
Merivale is currently run by Justin Hemmes, whose parents founded the company in 1970.
Last week, the ABC published an investigation based on interviews with former staff and customers at Merivale venues, alleging the company has a culture that exploits women and permits drug use.
One woman told the ABC she had been scheduled to work shifts with a man who had raped her.
A female customer told the ABC that a staff member led her to a VIP area at a Merivale venue, where she was asked if she was a sex worker by a fellow patron. When she explained that she was not, she was told that the area was “not safe”.
The ABC also published images it says were taken by former staff members, showing uncensored CCTV footage from multiple venues on display at Merivale’s annual awards night.
The footage included patrons having sex in a lift and urinating in public. Merivale told the ABC patrons had “no reasonable expectation of privacy” because there was clear signage indicating CCTV was active.
Response
In response to the other allegations, a Merivale spokesperson told the ABC: “We have no record of the incidents that you have described. We are therefore unable to respond to what we consider to be unfair questions.”
TDA also contacted Merivale for a statement, but the group has not yet responded.
Investigations
Two state government agencies are investigating the allegations against Merivale.
Liquor & Gaming NSW said it is taking the allegations “seriously”.
SafeWork NSW told TDA that the allegations against Merivale are “serious” and “concerning,” and that the regulator has launched its own inquiries.
The hospitality group could face major financial penalties if SafeWork finds any breaches of the state’s Work Health and Safety Act.
Swillhouse
The allegations against Merivale come two weeks after a Nine Newspapers investigation into another Sydney-based hospitality group, Swillhouse.
Nine published accounts from former Swillhouse staff who alleged sexual assault and drug use at its venues.
In a social media post last week, Swillhouse said the allegations relate to how the company “used to operate in the past.”
“We sincerely apologise to anyone who has felt hurt, unsafe, unprotected, triggered, or unheard.”
1800 RESPECT
Call: 1800 737 732
Text: 0458 737 732
